As you read the reviews on Bookshop Talk, you'll notice that every review is positive.No, we're not a bunch of literarypushovers who love everything we pick up; we just see no point in telling you about a book if we didn't like it.

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Kim Thacker - Writer and Mommy

May 16, 2012

PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow, 2010

Plain Kate lives in a world of superstitions and curses, where a song can heal a wound and a shadow can work deep magic. As the wood-carver's daughter, Kate held a carving knife before a spoon, and her wooden talismans are so fine that some even call her “witch-blade”: a dangerous nickname in a country where witches are hunted and burned in the square. For Kate and her village have fallen on hard times. Kate’s father has died, leaving her alone in the world. And a mysterious fog now covers the countryside, ruining crops and spreading fear of hunger and sickness. The townspeople are looking for someone to blame, and their eyes have fallen on Kate. (Goodreads)

Review by Kim Harris Thacker,
writer, mommy, and Bookshop Talk Host

I really love books about
witches (wrongly-accused or guilty, historical or fantasy), so I knew it was
very likely that I would enjoy Erin Bow’s debut novel, PLAIN KATE.

Plain Kate Carver is smart,
brave, loyal, and hard working. I realize this makes her sound like a boy
scout, but I guarantee she could kick the bottom of any boy scout with whom I’m
acquainted. She’s one tough cookie. And her cat is pretty great, too. In fact,
Taggle might be my favorite character in PLAIN KATE. He is an absolute
princeling. Very haughty. But he is also heroic friend—I’d never risk calling
him a “pet.” I particularly loved the dialogue between Kate and Taggle. That’s
right, Taggle talks! I thought it was very smart of Bow to give Kate a talking
companion, because not only is Taggle’s presence essential to the plot, Kate is
a very lonely, quiet girl, and it would be difficult to get to know her without
witnessing her conversations with Taggle (the story is told in a third person
point of view).

I used to read author’s bios
in the books I picked up before I ever read their book, but I gave that up when
I realized some bios are written specifically for one book—I found that plot
elements were being given away in the bios! So when I finally read Erin Bow’s
bio on the back jacket flap of PLAIN KATE and discovered she has written some
poetry, I was not at all surprised. The writing in this book is so musical and
is rich with unique imagery. It’s really some of the loveliest writing I’ve
seen in fantasy YA.

Without giving anything in
the plot away, I also have to say that the villain in this story was amazing.
Utterly terrifying, yet my heart broke for him even while he was committing his
villainy. Plain Kate’s culture and society also takes on a villainous role in
the novel, which I felt gave the book more of a realistic feel than a novel
where one character simply opposes another.

If you’re a magic-lover or
are fond of witchiness, like me, I hope you’ll give PLAIN KATE a try! I would
especially recommend it to individuals who read and enjoyed Tamora Pierce’s
novels.

Also, doesn’t this book have
a gorgeous cover? I love it!

Market: young adult, fantasy

Language: none

Sensuality: none

Violence: moderate (nothing
is super graphic—but there are lots of deaths and there is some violence)